The River of Love
New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday (conductor)
The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, called the Shakers, came to the New World in 1774. Ann Lee Standerin, called Mother Ann by her followers, traveled to America with seven disciples to establish the Shaker religion in the New World. The group was so named because of fervent prayer rituals in which they entered into trance-like states Ñ twitching, shaking, whirling, singing and dancing, seeking transcendence from the burdens of sin. A gentle, highly ethical people there were, at the height of the movement in 1850, 6,000 Shakers, a number that began to decline after industrialization took over. Because the Shakers believed the human voice to be the perfect instrument for the expression to God, they were prolific composers. It is said that there are over 10,000 hymns in existence. This unique disc presents both original hymns and modern American works based on the materials. Fittingly, the first of these is one that is beloved by many: Aaron Copland's setting of Simple Gifts.
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Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Gifts | Aaron Copland | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| A Mince Pie or a Puding | Aaron Copland | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| There's a Light | William Cutter | New England Voices, Amy Carroll, flute, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Let Zion Move | William Cutter | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| I Will Go on My Way | William Cutter | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Drink Ye | Shaker Spiritual | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| I Love Mother | Shaker Spiritual | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Mother Ann's Song | Shaker Spiritual | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Mother Ann's Closet | Shaker Spiritual | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Dismission of the Devil | Shaker Spiritual | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| The Humble Heart | Shaker Spiritual | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| The Humble Heart | Eric Sawyer | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| More Love | Shaker Spirituals | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Invitation to the River of Love | Shaker Spirituals | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Love is Little | Shaker Spirituals | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Pretty Home | Shaker Spirituals | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| A Snag of It or a Handful of Gospel Love | Shaker Spirituals | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Tuvan Throat Singing | Traditional | Thomas Erik Sumner, tenor |
| Adagio in Lydian Mode | Eric Sawyer | Karen Oosterbaan, Frederick Bednarz, violin, Thomas Fajaro, viola, Harel Gietheim, cello |
| Sweet Summerland | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| I'll Tell Thee of Heaven | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| I Hunger and Thirst | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| I Know How To Pray | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| On Zion's Holy Ground | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Work for the Harvest | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| In My Father's House | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Come Life, Shaker Life | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| O Heaven of Heavens | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| One, Two, Three Steps | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Little Trumpet | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| I've Set My Face for Zion's Kingdom | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Funeral Hymn | Shaker Hymns | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| The Simple Gifts | Jacob Druckman | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Farewell Song | Shaker Spirituals | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
| Living Souls Let's Be Marching | Shaker Spirituals | New England Voices, Malcolm Halliday, conductor |
Reviews
- “
"Especially inviting and inventive is "The Humble Heart,"...Although it's a dramatic and emotional journey scored for adult and children's choruses, vocal soloist, strings and piano, the piece never loses touch with the spacious simplicity of the Shaker aesthetic."
- “
"This collection...is a fascinating hybrid, mixing three choral suites...with a selection of the Shaker hymns and spirituals that inspired them. ...A primary New England Voices mandate is to commission new works on Shaker themes. Good news, as this beautifully presented first sampling demonstrates."
*Album cover provided for Editorial use only. ©Albany Records. The Albany Imprint is a registered trademark of PARMA Recordings LLC. The views and opinions expressed in this media are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions held by PARMA Recordings LLC and its label imprints, subsidiaries, and affiliates.